Hadith record

3. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Ash‘ari has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Jumhur from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il from Sa‘dan from Abu Basir who said: “I asked Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah: “(Muhammad), you are only a warner, and for every nation there is a guide.” (13:7) He (a.s.) replied, “The Messenger of Allah (sw) is the warner and Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) is the guide. O Abu Muhammad, is there a guide today?” I said, “Yes, may Allah take my soul in service for your cause, there has always been a guide from you, one after the other, until this (noble task) is being carried on by your own self.” He (a.s.) said, “May Allah have mercy on you, O Abu Muhammad. Had it been like the coming of guidance to man and then he would die with his death, the guidance would also die and the whole book would die, but it lives and it continues with new generations as it has done so with the people in the past.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.